Working With Archives

Note: This feature is not available in freeware version.

It is a good idea to backup your important files in case of system crashes or other unexpected happens. With iSafeguard™ Archiver not only can you create normal ZIP archives you may also create archives that are secure. iSafeguard™ Archiver is a great tool for either backing up your sensitive data or sending it through the Internet without worrying about losing sensitive information.

You can create three kinds of archive files:

1. Pass phrase protected self-extracting archive files.
2. Signed and encrypted archive files.
3. ZIP archive files.

A wizard is provided to help you create archives.

Creating Pass Phrase Protected Self-extracting Archive

A pass phrase protected self-extracting archive is useful when your recipients don't have iSafeguard™ installed on their computers. You recipients use the same pass phrase to extract the content of the archive as you do to create the archive.

If you leave the pass phrase blank the archive will not encrypted, i.e. any one with a computer can run the exe file and extract the information.

To create a self-extracting archive

1. From Windows Explorer select files and folders you want to archive;
2. Right click the mouse button on the selected files and folders;
3. Select iSafeguard and then Archive from the popup menu;
4. The archive wizard shows. Click Next button to go to the next page;
5. Select Create a self-extracting archive and then click the Next button;
6. Enter your pass phrase and then click Next button;
7. Select a file name for the archive and then click the Next button twice;
8. Wait until archiving is completed;
9. Click the Done button to close the wizard.

Note: If a pass phrase is provided it is used to generate a 168-bit 3DES key to encrypt the archive.

Creating Signed and Encrypted Archive

Signed and encrypted archive files are very useful to ensure privacy, integrity, non-repudiation, and authenticity of the archive. You may select to sign, or encrypt, or sign and then encrypt the archive based on your needs. Your recipients must have iSafeguard™ installed on their machines to be able to extract the archive.

To create a signed and/or encrypted archive

1. From Windows Explorer select files and folders you want to archive;
2. Right click the mouse button on the selected files and folders;
3. Select iSafeguard and then Archive from the popup menu;
4. The archive wizard shows; Click Next button to go to the next page;
5. Select Create a signed and/or encrypted archive and then click the Next button;
6. Select one or more recipients and then click the Next button;
7. Select a signer and then click the Next button;
8. Select a file name for the archive and then click the Next button twice;
9. Wait until archiving is completed;
10. Click the Done button to close the wizard.

Note: If you don't select a signer the archive will not be signed; if you don't select recipients the archive will not be encrypted. But you must select at least one recipient or a signer.

Creating ZIP Archive

ZIP archive files are useful if your recipients have iSafeguard™ or a ZIP utility program installed on their machines and you don't care or worry about being intercepted or modified by others during transmission.

This type of archive is a normal ZIP archive that can be opened with any software that supports the ZIP file format, including iSafeguard™ Security Suite.

To create a ZIP archive

1. From Windows Explorer select files and folders you want to archive;
2. Right click the mouse button on the selected files and folders;
3. Select iSafeguard and then Archive from the popup menu;
4. The archive wizard shows. Click Next button to go to the next page;
5. Select Create a ZIP archive and then click the Next button;
6. Select a file name for the archive and then click the Next button twice;
7. Wait until archiving is completed;
8. Click the Done button to close the wizard.

Email Your Archive File

If you want to attach a newly created archive file to an email make sure you check the Email archive file when done check box on the "Ready to Archive" page of iSafeguard™ Archiver.

When you click the Finish button after successfully created the archive file the software will launch an email composition window and attach your archive to the email.

Extracting Self-extracting Archive Files

To extract a self-extracting archive file

1. Double click on the archive file from Windows Explorer, or run the exe from a command prompt;
2. The iSafeguard™ Archive Extractor shows;
3. In the Extract to folder: field, enter a folder name or browse to a folder where you want to extract the files to;
4. Click the Extract button;
5. If the archive is encrypted with a pass phrase you will be ask to enter the pass phrase;
6. Click the Close button when done.

Extracting Signed and/or Encrypted Archive

The GUI to extract this type of archive is the same as extracting self-extracting archive file. However you must have logged in before you can extract the archive because decrypting, verifying signature needs to access your private key and other people's certificates. The software will prompt you to login if you are not currently logged in.

To extract a self-extracting archive file

1. Select the archive file you want to extract from Windows Explorer;
2. Right-click the mouse button on your selected archive file;
3. Select iSafeguard and then Extract from the popup menu;
4. If you are not currently logged in you will be prompted to login;
5. In the Extract to folder: field, enter a folder name or browse to a folder where you want to extract the files to;
6. Click the Extract button;
7. Click the Close button when done.

Extracting ZIP Archive File

To extract a self-extracting archive file

1. Select the ZIP archive file you want to extract from Windows Explorer;
2. Right-click the mouse button on your selected archive file;
3. Select iSafeguard and then Extract from the popup menu;
4. In the Extract to folder: field, enter a folder name or browse to a folder where you want to extract the files to;
5. Click the Extract button;
6. Click the Close button when done.